What is the best car? With the annual DNA Awards, the Daily News answers that question in several different ways

We get that question almost every day. Conceptually this is a simple query. Realistically the answer is difficult and complex, because there isn’t just one best car, or SUV, or truck, or minivan. It all depends on who you are, what you value, how you’ll use the vehicle, and how much money you have to spend.

With the annual Daily News Autos Awards, we attempt to answer the question “What is the best car?” in several different ways.Image by: Daily News Autos

At Daily News Autos, our team of writers, editors, and contributors is committed to providing the best guidance possible about the vehicles people actually buy. In order to do that, and to the best of our ability, we need to put ourselves in your shoes, understanding your requirements, lifestyle, and intentions given the vehicle segment in which you are shopping.

In 2016, in an effort to answer this simple yet complex question for as many people as possible, we launched the annual Daily News Autos Awards.

How we choose the Daily News Autos (DNA) Awards

We don’t call ‘em the DNA Awards just because the acronym is appropriate.Image by: BSIP/UIG via Getty Images

Internally, we call them the DNA Awards, and not just because the acronym fits with Daily News Autos. In choosing the winners in a multitude of vehicle classes, we seek to nominate those models that best represent the “DNA” of a specific segment. The cars, SUVs, trucks, and minivans that win DNA Awards not only contain the core requirements and characteristics necessary to credibly serve their expected functions, but also reflect superior genetic makeup in terms of design, engineering, innovation, value, and dynamism.

Our intention with the DNA Awards is to reward automakers that excel in these areas, and to guide new vehicle shoppers to those makes and models that we recommend to our family members, friends, and co-workers. We’d even buy them ourselves. Should our award winner fail to match your personal preferences, we also recommend four additional vehicles within each segment that we think will also be worth consideration.

For the 2017 model year, we’ve broken the new vehicle market into 16 segments. All eligible vehicles for the 2017 DNA Awards have a base price of less than $100,000, they are 2017 model-year vehicles, and they needed to be on sale by Feb. 1, 2017.

Unfortunately, this cut-off date excluded some important new vehicles, such as the impressive BMW 5 Series, the compelling Honda Clarity, the efficient Hyundai Ioniq, the improved Mazda CX-5, and others. Don’t worry, though, because they will all be eligible next year.

The 2017 DNA Award Winners

Four winning vehicles from our inaugural 2016 DNA Award voting return for 2017, including the Honda Pilot, which is once again our pick for best Family SUV.Image by: Speedy Daddy Media, Inc.

This year, our jury changed significantly, with just two voters from the inaugural 2016 awards returning for 2017. Our vehicle categories also changed a bit. Nevertheless, four out of 16 vehicles that earned awards last year win again this year, including the Honda Fit, the Honda Pilot, the Mazda Mazda6, and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Additionally, it is important to note that half of the 2017 DNA Award winners are priced at less than $35,000, putting them within reach of the typical new-car buyer in America based on the latest national average transaction value data.

Finally, within each segment, in addition to the DNA Award winner, our team recommends four alternative vehicles worthy of your consideration. Why do we do that? Because you might not agree with our award-winning choice, and we want to make sure you also consider the vehicles that were runners-up during the voting process.

And now, here is the list of vehicles that won a Daily News Autos Award for the 2017 model year. Use the links to find out why we think they’re terrific choices, and to see which models we also recommend in each segment:

Photos, reviews, and more information about the 2017 DNA Award winners

For more details about the 2017 DNA Award winners, be sure to check out our page dedicated to deeper-dive research on all of the vehicles that impress us the most.Image by: Daily News Autos

In addition to using the links above to discover more information about our 2017 DNA Award winners, we’ve got photo galleries, reviews, video clips, infographics, and more, all designed to help you learn as much as you can about our favorite cars, SUVs, trucks, and minivans.

Head on over to our Daily News Autos Awards page for easy access to these features, and we’ll be back with another round of picks in the spring of 2018. And if you’re curious about what we named as the winners last year, see our gallery of the best vehicles of 2016. Thank you for expressing curiosity in our annual DNA Awards, and we hope you find our selections as worthy of distinction as we do.

RELATED GALLERY

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio wins when it comes to luxury performance thanks to its immersive driving experience and Italian style and drama. ▲

When it comes to the best premium car, Audi takes the cake with the 2017 A4 and its timeless design, impressive value and smile-inducing performance. ▲

The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV wins best plug-in hybrid/electric vehicle because of its long-distance range at an affordable price. It really is an EV for the masses. ▲

With such good looks, top safety ratings, plenty of tech and a V6 or plug-in hybrid option, it’s no wonder the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica wins the award for best minivan. ▲

From basic work truck to the off-roading Raptor, when it comes to which truck is the best, the award goes to the 2017 Ford F-150 thanks to its class-leading towing, hauling and performance. ▲